Drafting mechanism



Dec. 27, 1938. E. L.. MARTIN Er A1. 2,141,213

DRAFTING MECHNISM F11ed May 11, 193e s sheets-sheet 1 A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 27, 1938. E. L. MARTIN x-:r Al.

l DRAFITING MECHANISM Filed May l1, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rm mw MM L ,m a ,M E

A T TORNEYS.

Dec. 27, 1938. E. L. MARTIN Er An.

DRAFTING MECHANISM Filed May 11, 195e 'l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 Damme MECHANISM Edward L. Martin, Providence, and John Frederick Jackson, Pawtucket, R. I., assignors to H & B American Machine Company, a corporation of Maine Application May 11, 1936, Serial No. 79,059

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for attenuating fibrous material,- more particularly for the formation of thread or yarn; and has for one of its objects the provision of an endless belt or apron for conducting the work from one pair of nipping elements to another with the parts so arranged that the apron or endless belt may be operatively positioned by a simple maneuver while maintaining the belt in endless condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drafting mechanism .of the belt or apron type in which one or more belts may be removed -and replaced quickly by stopping only the respective spindles affected by the individual belts thereby obviating any shut-down of the complete machine with the consequent loss of production and expense which has heretofore been the case during use of the prior art cemented belt devices.

Another object of the invention is to enable a drafting apparatus tobe used immediately after a new belt is assembled on a frame rather than waiting for the cement to dry, as has previously been necessary with the cemented belts.

Another object of the invention is the driving of a belt in a drafting mechanism of `this character at two distinct points and the provision of a pull as well as a push on the belt along the work engaging portion of its surface while leaving the inactive portion of the belt untensioned and merely guided in its path of travel.

Another object of the invention is to so position the belt of a belt or apron drafting apparatus that when the work is fed to the back nipping elements it will fall onto the belt and be fed to the middle pair of nipping elements Without manual handling.

Another object of the invention is the positive driving of the lower roll which is embraced by the belt by engagement with a driving member which extends for a considerable distance lengthwise of the frame.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view looking at the end of the drafting rolls, and showing the roll stand in which they are supported;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the drafting mechanism with parts removed for clarification;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the middle and forward drafting elements with parts broken away and removed to'better show the position and operation of the endless belts;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one position assumed by one of the rolls as it is being lifted from the machine for the removal of the belt from position;

Fig. 5 is an elevational viewvof the three ele- 5 ments which operate to drive the belt;

Fig. 6 is a'sectional view on the line 8-6 of Fig. 5 with the upper roll omitted;

Fig. '1 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the belt in position and showing the manner of pivoting the take-up device for the belt;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the underneath side of the belt guide member;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the cradle members; i5 Fig. 10 is an elevation of the cradle roll alone. In long draft spinning, the use of a belt or apron as a conveyor or carrier for yarn from the nip ofone pair of drafting elements to the other, is extensively used. Usually this belt is endless and embraces within its loop one or more rolls about which it is drawn with sufficient tension so that the embraced roll will drive the belt. 'I'he same integral piece of shaft which forms such driving roll extends through a large number of such belts and drives them and should it become necessary to replace any belt, this is done by positioning a strip o1' belt material about the rolls which it is to embrace and then cementing its ends together. About twenty minutes is required for such cemented belt ends to dry, and during this length of time the spinning frame is entirely out oi operation. The belt system which we have devised and disclosed herein does not depend upon the belt being drawn tightly about some rotating member or drive but is rather nipped at ltwo spaced-points for its driving action; and we have so arranged the roll or drafting element which is embraced within the loop of the endless belt that it may be lifted from position in the same manner that the usual top roll of a spinning frame is lifted from position, whereby the endless belt may be readily removed or an endless belt may be positioned in the frame' without the necessity of cementing its ends and waiting for the same to dry, thus eliminating the idleness of a frame for the length of time which is required for such cement to dry; and we accomplish this by driving the belt on its workw contacting surface and providing a take-up for the slack of the belt which in no way functions as a tensioning device for the work-engaging run of the belt;y and the following is amore detailed description of the present embodiment of this u invention, illustrating the preferred means by which we obtain these advantageous results.

With reference to the drawings. the roll stands I3, Il' are of identical structure and are spaced apart on a suitable support of the frame the usual distance to receive the elongated sections of the bottom rolls which are keyed together in a usual manner to transmit their drive along each side of the frame. Each roll stand is provided with a base portion as i-I, Il', a standard portion as l2, I2', and a body portion as I3, i3'. Each also has bearing recesses as I4 and i5 for the lower front and lower back rolls and a recess I5 for a driving member which is located below a line between the bearing portions I4 and I5.

The lower front roll I1 and the lower back roll i3 are each of a single piece of material extending from one roll stand il to the next roll stand Il' 4 with fluted portions 23 at intervals along its length separated by smooth portions 2i of a less diameter therebetween. The end portions of this roll I1 are reduced as at 22, 22' to fit the bearings I4, which reductions provide shoulders as 23 engaging the edges of the body portions of the stands to prevent endwise sliding of the roll therein.

The lower back roll I 8 is similarly fluted as at 24 at intervals with the smooth spacing portions 25 of less diameter between. Its end portions are reduced as at 23, 28 to ilt the bearings I5,which reductions provide shoulders as 21 to engage the edges of the bodies of the stands and prevent endwise movement of the roll 25 in its bearings.

A driving member designated generally 33 like the said lower rolls, also consists of an elongated portion of a single piece of material having iluted portions 3| at spaced intervals along its length, while its ends are reduced'as at 32 to be received within the bearings I5 and provide shoulders 33 for engaging with the ends of the bearing recess for the prevention of endwise movement of the member in its bearings. The uted portions 20, 24 and 3i are arranged in rows opposite each other in which position the portion 3| is disposed below the level of the others. Located in alternate spaces between the fluted portions 3i there is an enlarged iluted portion or hub 34 which is slightly larger than the diameter of the iluted surfaces of the fiuted portions 20 and 24 of the front and back rolls, a sufficient distance so that an additional roll may be placed on top of the member I and its upper surface be substantially in this line of travel of the yarn.

'I'he cap frame consisting of a rod 35 pivoted in the recess 33, 35' of the roll stand is provided with forwardly extending arms 31 rigidly secured thereto which are located over some of the spaces 2i, 25 such as at every second occurrence. TheV end arms 31-of the cap frame rest upon the iin 38 extending upwardly from the bearing I4 and as the intermediate arm 31 is xed to the rod 35 it is supported through this rod. The arms 31 are inclose proximity to the lower rolls I1 and i8 and vertically extending channels 33 and 40 are provided in the arms or in oppositesides thereof as at 3.9 39 of the intermediate arm and which extend throughout the entire depth of the arms, these channels are located above the lower rolls i1 and i8. At a point intermediate these channels`39 and 40 the arms are thickened as at 4i to extend into closer proximity to the drive member 30 and vertical channels 42, or in the middle arm 42, 42', are formed in these thickened portions and extend throughout the entire depth of the arms at a location above the driving member 3l. These channels form guides for removable rolls such as the upper back roll 44, and the upper front roll designated generally 4l, and the belt rolls which will be more fully described.

'Ihe upper leather covered back roll 44 has trunnionsto fit within the channel 3l and consists of spaced sections 41, 41 to rest upon the iluted sections 24, 24 beneath, while the space 43 between these sections 41 is for the reception of one end of the saddle of the weighting member which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The upper leather covered front roll 45 has trunmons 43 fitting within the channel 43 with spaced sections I3, 50 resting upon the fluted sections 20, 20 of the lower front roll with a space Il between also for the reception of the saddle ol' the weighting means. In the channels 42, 42 there is first positioned the trunnions I of the roll 54 iluted throughout its length which is of the same lengthl as the top rolls, .this roll 54 becomes the bottom roll of the intermediate pair of drafting elements and is smaller than the driving member 33 an amount sufllcient to drive the belt to be later described, faster at one nip than the other, an amount found satisfactory being about ten thousandths of an inch smaller in diameter. 'Ihere is then positioned in these same channels 42, 42 the trunnion 53 of the upper leather covered roll 51 having sections Il with spaced portion 59 between these sections, which spaced portions receiveone end of the saddle of a weighting means, to be more fully described. This roll 51 is the top roll of the intermediate pair of drafting elements and is the same in all substantial respects as the upper rolls 44, 45 of the back and front pairs of drafting elements previously described.

A pair of endless belts or aprons 50 are positioned about the fiuted roll 54 each of which belts receives within its loop this lowerrfluted roll 54, one portion of the belt being positioned above and in contact with each iluted portion 3i of the driving member 30 so that the travel of the belt is above the fluted portion 3i and between this portion and the lower roll 54, while the other portion of the belt on the top of the lower roll 54 is between it and the section v58 of the upper roll 51.

'I'he hub portion 34 between the portion 3| of the member 33 is of a diameter a little greater than the diameter of the fluted portion 3| plus the thickness of the belt so as to be just engaging with the fiuted portion of the lower roll 54 to thus effect a positive driving connection between the drive member 30 and the lower intermediate roll 54. This positive drive while desirable is not necessary as satisfactory results may be obtained without it and of course where not used the hubs 34 .will be omitted and smooth plain portions exist in their place. likewise the iluting need not extend the full length of the roll 54 but the same be formed as are the other lower rolls except in short sections of the length of the present roll 54 shown.

A belt guide member il of reduced forward dimensiones at 52 so as to reach further towards the bight between the lower roll i1 and the upper roll 45 is hinged by a single pin 53 to an arm 31 of the cap frame so that the member 8| is supported at only one end while being free to rock upwardly about the pin 33. Its movement is limited in a downward direction by reason of its being located in a recess 61v so that its rear lower edge 65 will cpntact the abutment 66 formed by the edge`ftlf recess. This member 6I is grooved as at 64 to receive the belt in the groove. l

The belt 68v extends forwardly from the nip between the rolls 51 and 54 about the forward reduced edge 624 of the guide member 6I forming the working run 66 `of the belt. From thence the belt passes rearwardly beneath the guide 6I and between the nip of the roll 54 and the driving member 38.` smaller than that of the member 38, then as the driving member 38 rotates it tends to pull the belt in the direction of the arrow 69, see Fig. 1. faster than it is pushed forward by reason of the nip between the rolls 51 and 54, thereby exerting a tension on the forward run 68 of the belt, although it is driven at two points along its length.

Between the nip of drive member 38 and the roll 54 and the nip of the rolls 54 and 51 the belt 68 extends rearwardly and somewhat downwardly at an angle in a loop 1| which, in order to prevent buckling,'is conveniently guided by any suitable device. The angle of the belt is such as I to catch the work |I8 which may drop onto the belty and feed it forward to the middle nip elements. For convenience we utilize a cradle designated generally 15l consisting of side plates 16 with an integr-al connection 11 between them, which is conveniently formed by bending up a single piece of sheet stock. Side plates 16 serve to guide the belt between them and are notched as at 18 to receive drive shaft 38 and are notched as at 19 to receive ,the trunnions 88 of the roll 8l about which the looped portion 1| of the belt 68 passes the belt supporting the weight of the roll 8| which is free in said notches 19 to rise or lower to conform to the travel ofthe belt.v Thev roll 8| is tapered from its middle toward its ends to guide the belt as it travels about this roll and maintains it central of the cradle. The length of the belt is such that the cradle 15 is posi. `tioned at an angle to the vertical, thus the roll 8| and weight of the cradle tends to swing the cradle about the drive shaft 38 as a pivot and will take up` any slack which may occur and guide and keep the belt traveling in the desired direction and yet the cradle is free to rise and relieve any undue tension should such occur. The lower roll 54 is so positioned that i when the belt 68 is thereabout the upper surface of the run 68 of the belt is in the common line for the drafting of the fibers betweei the nips of the back pair of drafting elements and front pair of drafting elements which is substantially in the plane of a common tangent to the top of the lower front and back rolls I1 and I8.

The upper roll of each pair of drafting elements is weighted. A s-addle engages the portion 48 of the upper back roll and the portion 58 of the middle upper roll; while a saddle 86 engages the portion 5| of the upper front roll and also seats in a recess or fork 81 on the saddle 85. A link 88 embracing the saddle 86 to exert a pull thereon extends downwardly between the rolls to be engaged by the usual lever 89 pivoted in the link 88 which is adjusted as at 8|, the lever being loaded as at 92, either by a spring or having a gravity actuated member suspended therefrom.,

As the diameter of the roll 54 is the shaft 38 will be dropped down to the new position. The drive of the belt consisting lof the intermediate drafting elements has been above indicated.v

The rolls 54 and 51 are urged downwardly by their own weight and also through the weighted saddle mechanism toward the drive shaft 38. The belt extending between member` 38 to roll 54 and also between roll 54 and roll 51, haslsuch pressure transmitted through it and is firmly nipped. Rotation of the drive member 38 will notches 18 from the drive shaft 38 and then removingthe roll 8| from the cradle and entirely freeing this bight of the belt, such as shown in Fig. 4. Next the lower roll 54 may be lifted upwardly from its notches 42, 42 (see Fig. 2) in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 4 (note the full showing of notch 42 from which the roll 54 is lifted), and by endwise movement the roll 54 is withdrawn from the belts. The belts then are only encircling the front guide 62 and may be moved to the position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2 and readily slid off one end thereof.

A fresh endless belt may be positioned in the frame by merely reversing the steps just described; thus, it becomes unnecessary to piece up any belt which has heretofore been a major operation in the xing of a belt in a spinning frame. the roving I-i8 to the back rolls and by its dropping onto the belt, as shown in Fig. 1 it is fed through the middle pair of nipping elements.

In some instances where a fourth line roll is desired, the same may be positioned as shown in Fig'..1 asat |88 with its trunnions engaging suitable formations I8I, as shown in Fig. 2, in the arms 31. Support is obtained through the guide member 6I which guides the forward end of the belt. Its motion is derived from contact with the belt and it has a slip engagement with the yarn by reason of its not being weighted.

While we have spoken of certain sections of the rolls as being fluted, it will be readily understood that any means of roughening the rolls may be used, such as sand blasting, knurling or any way of increasing the friction. By reason of the guide 6| being hinged it may be readily turned up for removing the belt and for ease of positioning a new belt thereon; while this guide member will also lift up by reason of its hinge connection if there is any undue accumulation of lint. upon the apron and which might otherwise jam at its close proximity to the lower front roll I1, whereby any breakage in the mechanism would be prevented. Also, the cap frame as a whole may lift to a limited extent to relieve any congestion. The cap frame may be freely lifted by using the horns |83 after the weighting mechanism and the cradles are removed.

'I'he foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but we desire.

it to be understood that we reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to Further, it is merely necessary to feed which the 4device is susceptible, the invention be- 75 ingdeanedmdumnedomyymemorm amadnmmeaammrortexmenbm..

appended claims. two pairs of drafting elements, each pair consist- We claim: ing of upper and lower removable rolls, a

1.In a drawing mechanism for spinning frames, pairs of drafting elements including relatively short removable upper roll sections in each pair,oneofsaidpairsalsohavingasimilarrela tively short removable lower roll section, an endless belt embracing within its loop said removable lower roll section, a pivotally .arranged guide adjacent the bight of another pair of drafting elelments and adapted for swinging'movement toward or away from the same, a run of said belt extending over said guide. said guide being supported at one end only whereby the belt may be inserted thereover while in endless form.

2. In a drawing mechanism for spinning frames, pairs of drafting elements including relatively short removable upper roll sections in each pair, one of said pairs also having asimilar relatively short removable lower roll section, an endless belt embracing within its loop said removable lower roll section, and a guide adjacent the bight of another pairof drafting elements. a run of said belt extending over said guide, said guide being hinged to swing upwardlyfor ease in positioning the belt thereover. v

3. In a drawing mechanism for textile slivers or rovings, two pairs of drafting elements, each pair consisting of upper and lower removable rolls, an endless belt passing between one pair of rolls inclosing the lower roll thereof and having a run extending forward toward the bight of the other pair of rolls, a pivoted guide supported at one end only extending in cross-wise relation of said belt for internally guiding the front loop of the belt, said guide being arranged to swing upwardly to enable positioning of the belt thereover, means for tensioning said belt, and means in driving engagement with said belt ,inclosed lower roll to rotate the same for driving the belt.

4.` In a drawing mechanism for textile slivers or rovings, two pairs of drafting elements, each pair of which consists of upper and lower removable rolls, an endless belt passing between one pair of rolls inclosing the lower roll thereof and having a run extending forward toward the bight of the other pair of rolls, a driving member beneath said belt inclosed lower roll having engagement therewith for driving the same, a guide extending in cross-wise relation to said belt for internally guiding the front loop of the belt, said guide being hingedly mounted for movement to a second position to enable ready positioning of the belt thereover, an extended loop portion of the belt back of said belt inclosed roll extending rearwardly and downwardly from the rolls between which it passes, a cradle pivoted on said driving member to swing on the same with free vpassing between one pair of rolls lower roll thereof, and having a run extending forward toward the bight of the other pair o mils, a driving member beneath said belt inclosed lower roll having driving engagement therewith for driving the same, a guide extending in cross-wise relation to said belt for internally guidingA the front loop thereof, said guide memb'er being hingedly mounted for movement to and from a second position to enable ready positioning of the belt thereover, an extended loop portion of the belt back of saidvbelt inclosed roll extending rearwardly and downwardly from the rolls between which itpasses, a removable cradle pivoted at one end on said driving member'` for free swinging movement about the same by the action of gravity, and a roll removably mounted in said cradle at the other end thereof for internally guiding the rear loop of `said belt, the length of said belt being such as to dispose said cradle at an angle to the vertical whereby the action of gravity on the roll, cradle and belt is effective to take up the slack in the belt.

6. In a drawing mechanism for textile fibers having a pair of drawing rolls and an endless belt for conducting the fibers thereto. the combination of a roll driving said belt and inclosed by the same, a rotatable member having driving engagement with said belt inclosed roll for driving the same, a guide member for internally guiding the front loop of said belt, said guide being positioned adjacent said drawing rolls and supported at one end only for pivotal movement to be turned from a guiding position for the belt into a second position whereby the belt may be either inserted on or removed from the guide over the free end thereof while in endless form, a guide roll for internally guiding the rear loop of said belt, said guide roll being mounted to rotate about a substantially fixed axis well spaced below and relatively remote from the path of travel of the textile fibers, and a supporting frame for said guide roll pivoted at one end portion on said rotatable driving member to swing about the same with free movement by the inuence of gravity for maintaining said belt taut.

'7. In a drawing mechanism, upper and lower drafting elements, each of said elements comprising a relatively short removable roll member, an endless belt having Within its complete loop said lower drafting element, and a movable guide member for guiding the forward loop of said belt,

said guide being supported at one end only and hinged to swing upwardly for ease in positioning the belt when in endless form.

EDWARD L. MARTIN. JOHN JACKSON. 

